


Missing Piece

by waddiwasiwitch



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waddiwasiwitch/pseuds/waddiwasiwitch
Summary: Riza gets a visit from her past. Roy tries to get her to talk about it.





	Missing Piece

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much, Emma, for this lovely prompt.
> 
> Ask on Tumblr: I wanna see some angst from you ;D From the angst/fluff list please! 15. “Holding everything in doesn’t help, you know.”

**Missing piece**

The jigsaw puzzle was laid out on the table. The little girl bit her lip as she searched for a piece that would fit.

“You can do this, Ellie,” Riza said. “Just three more pieces.”

The girl nodded, then looked over at her father. “No helping, Dad.”

Riza tried not to laugh at the bemused expression on her husband’s face. Their son, Maes, was sitting on his lap on the other side of the table.

“Yes!” Ellie squealed as she put in the piece. “I did it, Mom.”

“She got the smart genes from me,” Roy said. He patted Maes’ head. “You’re going to be a genius too, Maes.”

Riza rolled her eyes, “As long as they don’t learn common sense from you.”

He stuck out his lower lip. “Yes, well you married me, didn’t you?”

“I did, Roy. More fool me.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “Do I need to remind you why you married me?”

“I’ve two little reminders right here in front of me!”

“Reminders of what, Mom?” Ellie scrunched up her nose.

“Reminders of how much I love your father.”

* * *

Roy opened his mouth to probably say something completely inappropriate and she shot him a quelling look. Sometimes it was like raising three kids instead of two, or four, if she was to include the dog. He let out a familiar deep chuckle, one that still turned her to jelly even though they had been together for years.  

The little girl furrowed her brow. “I love you too, Daddy.”

“Hey, what about me?” Riza said.

Ellie blinked. “Of course, I love you, Mom.”

Riza smiled at her daughter and ruffled her hair. She caught her husband watching her from across the table and he winked.

She shook her head and got up, “Anyone want to go for a walk?” The doorbell rang and she sighed. “Hold that thought. I’ll get it.”

She went to open the front door and she was shocked to see her father on the other side. He had aged considerably since the last time she saw him. His long, stringy hair was gone and he looked thinner than she had ever seen him.

“F-father?”

“Riza, you look grown up.”

She blinked. “Well, the last time you saw me was ten years ago, so I should hope so.”

She felt rather than saw Roy come up behind her. He took her hand and squeezed it. He looked at Berthold square in the eyes. “Do you want me to get rid of him, Riza?”

“Roy, it’s ok.” She turned steely eyes back to her father. “What do you want?”

Berthold shuffled his feet, gaze averted. “I want to talk to you. Can I come inside?”

Roy searched her face. “Riza, do you need me here? Or I can take the kids for that walk if you prefer?”

“Take the kids but leave Hayate. I need to do this.”

“I don’t know if that is such a good idea,” Bertholdt interjected.

She ignored him and turned to her husband. “Roy, go, I don’t want the kids here.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded and he squeezed her shoulder. There was a lump in her throat. She needed to do this, face up to the man that threw her out as a teenager and now had the gall to turn up at her door.

“I’ll drop the kids to Chris’ restaurant and I’ll come right back,” Roy whispered. He disappeared into the living room and she heard him say, “Hey kids, want to go visit Grandma?”

She gestured for her father to follow her inside. Roy had Maes in his arms and Ellie by the hand when they walked in.

“You coming, Mom?” Ellie asked. Her eyes landed on the stranger in their living room. “Hi!”

“Come on, Ellie, your Mom, and the man need to talk.”

“Oh, ok.” Her daughter waved as they walked from the room.

She waited for the sound of the front door slamming before rounding on her father. “What are you doing here?”

“I see you married him in the end.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you understand why I didn’t invite you.”

“And your kids are -”

“Quit playing for time. I want to know why you’re here.”

“Riza, I wanted to come and say I was sorry.”

Her mouth dropped open. He was sorry. Why was he apologising now, when he was pretending she didn’t exist for a decade?

“I made a great many mistakes with you,” he continued, not meeting her gaze. “and I was hoping you would give me a chance to make things right before it’s too late.”

Her throat went dry. “Too late?”

“Riza, I’m dying,” he said.

* * *

When Roy returned, he found only a red-eyed Riza with Hayate in her lap. Bertholdt was gone. She threw herself into his arms and he held her tight.

“Hey, what happened?”

“He’s dying. He came because he wants me to make him feel better about dying. The bastard.”

“Oh, Riza, I’m sorry.”

“I’m fine,” she said coolly. “It’s not like he was a good father. He’s not even part of my life anymore.”

“He’s still your father. It’s understandable to be conflicted, honey. You’re grieving for the father you should have had, the father every kid deserves.”

“No!” She sniffed and pulled away. “I’m just angry.”

His heart ached for her. How did the bastard think dropping a bombshell like that on her was going to go? Did he think she was going to forget all the tears she shed over the years, the raw wound when they had the kids? Roy swore to her that he would be the best father he could be but he knew she was afraid that their happiness was too good to be true. That is what Berthold Hawkeye did to her.

Roy led her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. He took a bottle of whiskey from the drinks cabinet and poured them both a glass. He searched her face as she drank the whiskey.

“Talk to me, Riza.”

“What else is there to say. My father was a horrible man. Dying or not, he has no right to expect me to play Florence Nightingale.” She stood up. “I’ll start dinner. Why don’t you go collect the kids?”

“Riza, I’m not going anywhere. I should never have left you alone with him.”

“Fine, then ask Chris to drop them home in time for dinner.”

He knew from the set of her jaw that she was done talking. He would have to wait for her to be ready.

Later that night, Roy put away the book and kissed his daughter’s temple. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

Ellie rubbed her eyes, “Is Mom sad?”

He frowned - Ellie was too perceptive for a six-year-old.

He sighed. “Everybody gets a little sad sometimes, Ellie. Your mom will be fine. She just needs us to love her a little harder right now.”

Riza was trying to be strong. She wouldn’t sit still, had to keep busy. It’s was Roy’s turn to do the washing up but he suspected they would be done when he went downstairs. She was looking after everyone else except herself. He was worried but he could hardly explain the complexities of her mother’s strained relationship with her father.

Don’t worry I’m going to give her a big hug.”

She nodded. “Hugs always make me feel better.”

He pulled the blanket up and tucked her in. “Night, night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

She closed her eyes and smiled, “And if they do, bite them back.”

He chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

Ever since those Elric kids had right her that version, she wouldn’t accept any other.

He left the room slightly ajar so that some light was coming in. He peered into the room next door, where Maes was sleeping soundly. He smiled. How did he get so lucky? Falling for Riza Hawkeye was why.

He went downstairs and paused at the kitchen door. Riza was doing the washing up but Roy could see that she was holding on by a thread. Ever since that man turned up, she hadn’t been herself. He clenched his fists. If the man hadn’t been such bad shape, he might have been tempted to deck him.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder.

She turned slightly to look at him. “What are you doing?”

“Worrying about you.”

She sighed.

“Holding everything in doesn’t help, you know,” he whispered.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not and that’s okay.”

“I’m fine.”

“Let me take some of that burden from your shoulders. Half of what you own is mine remember?”

She let out a watery chuckle. “Stop.”

“It’s okay to be upset.”

He heard the splash as she dropped the dish she was holding. “Roy, I’m not and that’s the problem. Am I a terrible person?  I actually shouted at him to leave. I couldn’t face him.”

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. “Riza, you are not a terrible person. You are the kindest and most compassionate person I know. We feel what we feel, it doesn’t make us terrible people. It makes us human.”

“Roy, I hadn’t seen him in years. He treated me like gum on his shoe and he turns up here to tell me he’s dying. What am I supposed to do with that? Am I supposed to reconcile with him to make his last days easier?” She searched Roy’s eyes. “Should I?”

“Only you can make that decision. It might be your last chance to tell him how you feel but that doesn’t mean that you have to. You need to do what’s right for you and I will support whatever decision you make.”

“What about the kids? Do they have the right to know their grandfather?”

“Riza, that man treated you really badly.” His eyes flashed. “Our kids don’t need to have any part in this. You didn’t rob them of anything. If anyone did, it was your father.” He looked in her eyes and cupped her chin in his hands.  “If you want to go see your father, do this for you.”

“If I go see him, will you come with me?”

“Try and stop me!”

Her lips twitched upward. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said.

She bit her lip. “Roy, I can’t pretend everything is ok between us but I think I should go to see him at least once. Otherwise, I think I will always wonder.”

“Alright, we will make it happen tomorrow and you can see how you feel after that.” He kissed her temple. “If you want to keep him in your life, then we can introduce the kids.”

**Fin**


End file.
